1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to a sheet treating apparatus and an image forming apparatus which enable their installation spaces to be made small. Particularly, it relates to an image forming apparatus of which the space saving can be realized without spoiling the visual confirmability and taking-out operability of delivered sheets.
2. Description of Related Art
As an image forming apparatus such as a copying machine or a facsimile apparatus provided with an original image reading portion, there has heretofore been popular an apparatus in a form having an image reading portion disposed in the upper portion of the apparatus, and provided with an image forming portion below it, and in which recording sheets on which images have been formed by the image forming portion are delivered outwardly of a side of the apparatus and are stacked there.
In recent years, however, there is an apparatus in which for the purpose of space saving, as shown in FIG. 12 of the accompanying drawings, a space 103 is provided between an image reading portion 101 and an image forming portion 102, and recording sheets are delivered to and stacked in this space 103.
In the image reading portion 101, an original fed from an auto original feeder (hereinafter referred to as the “ADF”) 109 is exposed and scanned, whereby image information is taken into a photoelectric transfer element, and data processing is carried out.
On the basis of the data, a laser scanner 104 scans on a photosensitive drum 105, to thereby effect the formation of a latent image. A toner image developed on the photosensitive drum 105 in accordance with the latent image is transferred onto a sheet fed and transported from a feed cassette 106, and is passed through a fixing device 107 and is fixed on the sheet, which is then delivered to and stacked in the delivery space 103 by delivery rollers 108.
When in the above-described image forming apparatus, post-treatment such as punching treatment or stapling treatment is to be effected on the sheet on which the image has been recorded, as shown in FIG. 13 of the accompanying drawings, a sheet treating apparatus 110 is connected to a side of the main body of the apparatus, and the sheet is fed into this sheet treating apparatus 110 to thereby effect stapling treatment or the like.
However, if the sheet treating apparatus 110 is connected to a side of the main body of the apparatus, a wide installation space becomes necessary. If an attempt is made to make this space small, the structure of the apparatus will become complicated or the sheet taking-out operability will become bad.